Kevin Kiley votes to expel George Santos from Congress. Here’s why he took ‘extraordinary step’

Rep. Kevin Kiley joined 23 other Republicans Wednesday to vote to expel Rep. George Santos from Congress, citing “the sheer weight of evidence of wrongdoing.”.

The effort fell short of the two-thirds majority required, as 179 House members, including 155 Democrats, voted to remove the New York Republican.

Santos is scheduled to go on trial in September on 13 counts of misleading his donors, providing false House financial disclosures and improperly receiving unemployment benefits.

He also faces 10 other charges, including using donors’ credit cards without being authorized to do so. He has pleaded not guilty.

Among California’s 12 Republicans, only Kiley and Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, voted to toss Santos.

“After careful consideration and given what we have recently learned, tonight I voted for the expulsion of Congressman George Santos,” Kiley explained.

“In my view, this extraordinary step was warranted by the unique case before us and the sheer weight of evidence of wrongdoing,” he said.

A group of New York Republicans tried to oust Santos, who will have a tough time being re-elected next year.

Kiley maintained that a recent plea agreement between federal prosecutors and Santos’ former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, “has laid bare a set of facts the House simply cannot ignore.”

If Santos won’t resign, Kiley said, “it is up to the House to act. Expulsion would permit voters in this district to select a new Member of Congress.”

Among California Democrats, Reps. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, Mark Takano, D-Riverside and Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, voted not to expel Santos. Four Democrats, including Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, and Jim Costa, D-Fresno, did not vote.

Four others voted “present,” meaning they were not voting either yes or no, including Rep. Ami Bera, D-Sacramento. All other California Democrats voted to expel.

Some of the Democrats who voted not to expel Santos cited concerns about due process because he has not been proven guilty.

“Santos has not been criminally convicted yet of the offenses cited in the resolution, nor has he been found guilty of ethics offenses in the House internal process,” explained Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., to Axios.